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A fixing mechanism mounts a peripheral component to an electronic device.
The fixing mechanism includes a housing, a contact member, a sliding
member, a first resilient member and a link bar assembly. The housing
defines a holding portion to receive the peripheral component,
positioning portions and a guiding portion located on sidewalls of the
holding portion. The contact member is moveably disposed in the housing
adjacent to the holding portion. The sliding member resists the contact
member. The first resilient member resists between the contact member and
the housing. The peripheral component includes a first engaging portion
and a second engaging portion. The first engaging portion is received in
the positioning portion. The latching portion slides along the guiding
portion until the latching portion latches the second engaging portion.

Inventors:

LIU; ZHI-HUA; (Shenzhen City, CN)

Assignee:

FU TAI HUA INDUSTRY (SHENZHEN) CO., LTD.ShenZhen CityCN

HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.Tu-ChengTW

Serial No.:

868917

Series Code:

12

Filed:

August 26, 2010

Current U.S. Class:

361/679.01; 74/25

Class at Publication:

361/679.01; 74/25

International Class:

H05K 5/00 20060101 H05K005/00; F16H 21/00 20060101 F16H021/00

Foreign Application Data

Date

Code

Application Number

Nov 30, 2009

CN

200910310671.7

Claims

1. A fixing mechanism for a peripheral component of an electronic device,
comprising: a housing defining a holding portion to receive the
peripheral component, a plurality of positioning portions and a guiding
portion located on a plurality of sidewalls of the holding portion; a
contact member moveably disposed in the housing adjacent to the holding
portion; a sliding member resisting the contact member; a first resilient
member resisting between the contact member and the housing,
respectively; and a link bar assembly rotatably connected to the housing,
wherein the link bar assembly comprises a latching portion located on a
free end of the link bar assembly, the peripheral component comprises a
first engaging portion and a second engaging portion, the first engaging
portion is received in the positioning portion, wherein the link bar
assembly is slided towards the housing when the contact member biases the
link bar assembly via the sliding member, and at the same time the
latching portion slides along the guiding portion until the latching
portion latches the second engaging portion.

2. The fixing mechanism of claim 1, wherein the first engaging portion is
a protrusion located on a side of the peripheral component, and the
positioning portion is a positioning groove defined in an inner surface
of a sidewall of the holding portion.

3. The fixing mechanism of claim 1, wherein the guiding portion is a
substantially oblong hole running through an outer surface of the
sidewall of the holding portion.

4. The fixing mechanism of claim 1, wherein the latching portion is a
latching protrusion extending perpendicular to a free end of the link bar
assembly, and the second engaging portion is a substantially oblong
groove defined in a side of the peripheral component.

5. The fixing mechanism of claim 1, wherein the housing defines a step
portion on a top surface of the housing adjacent to the holding portion.

6. The fixing mechanism of claim 5, wherein the housing further defines a
first receiving groove and a second receiving groove, the first receiving
groove and the second receiving groove defined in the step portion, the
first receiving groove communicates with the second receiving groove at
an outer side of the holding portion; the contact member, the first
resilient member, and the sliding member are received in the first
receiving groove; and the link bar assembly is received in the second
receiving groove.

7. The fixing mechanism of claim 6, wherein the link bar assembly
comprises a long connecting bar and a short connecting bar, wherein two
ends of the long connecting bar are rotatably connected to the housing
and the short connecting bar, and the latching portion is located on a
free end of the short connecting bar.

8. The fixing mechanism of claim 7, further comprising a second resilient
member interconnecting the housing and the long connecting bar.

9. The fixing mechanism of claim 8, wherein the contact member comprises
a biasing portion and a support protrusion, the support protrusion
located on a side of the biasing portion, and the first resilient member
sleeves on the support protrusion.

10. The fixing mechanism of claim 9, wherein the contact member comprises
a resisting protrusion located on a side of the biasing portion adjacent
to the support protrusion.

11. The fixing mechanism of claim 10, wherein the biasing portion defines
an angled surface on a side of the biasing portion away from the
resisting protrusion and a dovetail groove on the angled surface, and the
sliding member comprises a sliding protrusion having a substantially
dovetail shape slidably received in the dovetail groove.

12. An electronic device, comprising: a housing defining a holding
portion on a top surface of the housing, a guiding portion and a
plurality of positioning portions on opposite sidewalls of the holding
portion, a peripheral component receiving in the holding portion; a
contact member moveably disposed in the housing adjacent to the holding
portion; a sliding member resisting the contact member; a first resilient
member resisting between the contact member and the housing,
respectively; the peripheral component comprising a first engaging
portion and a second engaging portion located on opposite sides of the
peripheral component. a link bar assembly rotatably connected to the
housing, wherein the link bar assembly comprises a latching portion
located on a free end of the link bar assembly, the first engaging
portion is received in the positioning portion, and the latching portion
latches the second engaging portion.

13. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the first engaging portion
is a protrusion located on a side of the peripheral component, and the
positioning portion is a positioning groove defined in an inner surface
of a sidewall of the holding portion.

14. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the guiding portion is a
substantially oblong hole running through an outer surface of the
sidewall of the holding portion.

15. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the latching portion is a
latching protrusion extending perpendicular to a free end of the link bar
assembly, and the second engaging portion is a substantially oblong
groove defined in a side of the peripheral component.

16. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the housing defines a step
portion on a top surface of the housing.

17. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the housing further
defines a first receiving groove and a second receiving groove, the first
receiving groove and the second receiving groove defined in the step
portion, the first receiving groove communicates with the second
receiving groove at an outer side of the holding portion; the contact
member, the first resilient member, and the sliding member are received
in the first receiving groove; the link bar assembly is received in the
second receiving groove.

18. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein the link bar assembly
comprises a long connecting bar and a short connecting bar, wherein two
ends of the long connecting bar are rotatably connected to the housing
and the short connecting bar, and the latching portion is located on a
free end of the short connecting bar.

19. The electronic device of claim 18, further comprising a second
resilient member interconnecting the housing and the long connecting bar.

20. The electronic device of claim 19, wherein the contact member
comprises a biasing portion and a support protrusion, the support
protrusion located on a side of the biasing portion, and the first
resilient member sleeves on the support protrusion.

Description

BACKGROUND

[0001] 1. Technical Field

[0002] The present disclosure relates to fixing mechanisms, and
particularly, to a fixing mechanism capable of detachably fixing a
peripheral component to an electronic device.

[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0004] Electronic devices, such as notebooks or mobile phones, include a
fixing mechanism detachably attaching a peripheral component to the
electronic device. The peripheral component can be, for example, a
battery of a notebook computer, a cover of a hard disk or other.

[0005] A fixing mechanism for a peripheral component of an electronic
device includes a housing, a contact member, a sliding member, and a
resilient member. The housing defines a holding portion to receive the
peripheral component. The contact member is moveably disposed in the
housing, and is adjacent to the holding portion. The resilient member
sleeves on the contact member and resists the housing. The sliding member
includes a first end and a second end opposite to the first end. The
first end resists the contact member. The second end resists the
peripheral component. The housing further defines a positioning groove on
a sidewall of the holding portion. The peripheral component includes a
positioning protrusion received in the positioning groove. When the
contact member biases the first end of the sliding member, the second end
of the sliding member biases the peripheral component, such that the
positioning protrusion then withdraws from the positioning groove, and
pushes out the peripheral component from the holding portion. However,
upon impact, the peripheral component is prone to detachment from the
holding portion, rendering operation undependable.

[0006] Therefore, there is room for improvement within the art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale,
the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the
principles of the present disclosure. Moreover, in the drawings, like
reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout several
views, and all the views are schematic.

[0008] FIG. 1 is an exploded, isometric view of one embodiment of a fixing
mechanism.

[0009] FIG. 2 is similar to FIG. 1, but viewed from another aspect.

[0010] FIG. 3 is an isometric view of the fixing mechanism fixing a
peripheral component to an electronic device shown in FIG. 1.

[0011] FIG. 4 is an isometric view of the fixing mechanism detached from
the peripheral component shown in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0012] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, one embodiment of an electronic device
(not labeled) includes a fixing mechanism 100 and a peripheral component
200. The fixing mechanism 100 includes a housing 10, a contact member 20,
a first resilient member 30, a sliding member 40, a link bar assembly 50
and a second resilient member 60. The fixing mechanism 100 is used to fix
the peripheral component 200 to the housing 10. The first resilient
member 30 sleeves on the contact member 20. The contact member 20 and the
first resilient member 30 are moveably disposed in the housing 10. The
link bar assembly 50 is rotatably connected to the housing 10. The
sliding member 40 is slidably fixed in the housing 10, and resists the
contact member 20 and the link bar assembly 50. The second resilient
member 60 fixedly interconnects the link bar assembly 50 and the housing
10. The peripheral component 200 can be a battery of a notebook computer,
a cover of a hard disk, or other. In the illustrated embodiment, the
peripheral component 200 is a battery of a notebook computer.

[0013] The housing 10 includes a holding portion 11, a step portion 12, a
first receiving groove 13, a second receiving groove 15, a guiding
portion 17 and two positioning portions 19. The holding portion 11 is
defined on a top surface of the housing 10. The peripheral component 200
is received in the holding portion 11. The step portion 12 is defined at
adjacent to the holding portion 11 in the housing 10. The first receiving
groove 13 and the second receiving groove 15 are defined on the step
portion 12. The first receiving groove 13 communicates with the second
receiving groove 15 at an outer side of the holding portion 11. The
contact member 20, the first resilient member 30, the sliding member 40
are received in the first receiving groove 13. The housing 10 further
defines a through hole 131 on a bottom surface of the first receiving
groove 13. The link bar assembly 50 is partially received in the second
receiving groove 15. The guiding portion 17 is defined in an outer
surface of the sidewall of the holding portion 11 adjacent to the step
portion 12. The two positioning portions 19 are defined on an inner
surface of a sidewall of the holding portion 11 facing the guiding
portion 17. In the illustrated embodiment, the guiding portion 17 is a
substantially oblong hole running through the outer surface of the
sidewall of the holding portion 11. Each positioning portion 19 is a
positioning groove defined on the sidewall of the holding portion 11.

[0014] The contact member 20 includes a biasing portion 21, a resisting
protrusion 23, and a support protrusion 25. The biasing portion 21 has a
shape of a rectangular block which is missing a corner. The resisting
protrusion 23 is located on a side of the biasing portion 21. The support
protrusion 25 is located on a side of the biasing portion 21 adjacent to
the resisting protrusion 23. The biasing portion 21 defines an angled
surface 212 on a side of the biasing portion 21 away from the resisting
protrusion 23. The biasing portion 21 further defines a dovetail groove
213 on the angled surface 212. The resisting protrusion 23 is capable of
preventing detachment of the contact member 20 from the first receiving
groove 13. The support protrusion 25 passes through the through hole 131
of the housing 10.

[0015] The first resilient member 30 is a substantially cylindrical
compression spring, and sleeves on the support protrusion 25 of the
contact member 20.

[0016] The sliding member 40 is substantially triangular, and includes a
sliding protrusion 41 having a substantially dovetail shape located on a
side surface of the sliding member 40. The sliding protrusion 41 can
slide in the dovetail groove 213 of the contact member 20.

[0017] The link bar assembly 50 includes a long connecting bar 51 and a
short connecting bar 53. The long connecting bar 51 includes two shafts
513, 515 located on opposite ends of the long connecting bar 51. The long
connecting bar 51 is rotatably connected to the housing 10 and the short
connecting bar 53 via the two shafts 513, 515, respectively. The short
connecting bar 53 includes a latching portion 531 located on a free end
of the short connecting bar 53. The latching portion 531 slides in the
guiding portion 17 of the housing 10. In the illustrated embodiment, the
latching portion 531 is a latching protrusion extending perpendicular to
an end of the short connecting bar 53.

[0018] The second resilient member 60 is a substantially cylindrical
tension spring. Opposite ends of the second resilient member 60 are fixed
to a sidewall of the second receiving groove 15 of the housing 10 and a
middle portion 51 of the long connecting bar 51.

[0019] The peripheral component 200 includes two first engaging portions
201, a boss 202, and a second engaging portion 204. The first engaging
portions 201 are located on a side of the peripheral component 200. The
boss 202 is located on a side of the peripheral component 200 opposite to
the first engaging portions 201. The boss 202 defines a cutout 203 in an
end of the boss 202. The biasing portion 21 of the contact member 20 is
received in the cutout 203. The second engaging portion 204 is located on
the side of the peripheral component 200 corresponding to a middle
portion of the boss 202. The latching portion 531 of the link bar
assembly 50 is received in the second engaging portion 204. In one
embodiment, the first engaging portion 201 is a protrusion located on the
side of the peripheral component 200. The second engaging portion 204 is
a substantially oblong groove defined in the side of the peripheral
component 200. The second engaging portion 204 has a cutout 206 defined
on an end of the second engaging portion 204. The latching portion 531 of
the link bar assembly 50 is slidably received in the second engaging
portion 204 via the cutout 206.

[0020] To assemble the fixing mechanism 100, one end of long connecting
bar 51 is rotatably connected to the short connecting bar 53 via the
shaft 515. The latching portion 531 of the short connecting bar 53 is
passed through the guiding portion 17 of the housing. The other end of
the long connecting bar 51 is rotatably fixed on a sidewall of the
receiving groove 15. Two ends of the second resilient member 60 are fixed
to the housing 10 and a middle portion of the long connecting bar 51,
respectively. The sliding member 40 is received in the first receiving
groove 13 of the housing 10. Later, the first resilient member 30 is
sleeved on the support protrusion 25 of the contact member 20. The
contact member 20 is received in the first receiving groove 13. The
support protrusion 25 of the contact member 20 passes through the through
hole 131 of the housing 10. The sliding protrusion 41 of the sliding
member 40 is received in the dovetail groove 213 of the contact member
20.

[0021] Referring to FIGS. 1 through 3, when the fixing mechanism 100 fixes
the peripheral component 200 to the holding portion 11 of the housing 10,
an end of the peripheral component 200 is received in the holding portion
11 initially, such that the second engaging portion 204 of the peripheral
component 200 is received in the positioning portion 19 of the housing
10. The other end of the peripheral component 200 is received in the
holding portion 11 of the housing 10, such that the latching portion 531
of the short connecting bar 53 is received in the cutout 206 of the
second engaging portion 204. The peripheral component 200 resists an end
of the long connecting bar 51 connecting to the short connecting bar 53,
such that the long connecting bar 51 slides toward a bottom of the second
receiving groove 15. The second resilient member 60 is pulled by the long
connecting bar 51. The latching portion 531 slides toward the guiding
portion 17 of the housing 10 until the latching portion 531 latches in
the second engaging portion 204. Then, the second resilient member 60
resumes its original state. Finally, the peripheral component 200 is
fixed in the holding portion 11 of the housing 10.

[0022] Referring to FIGS. 1 through 4, when the peripheral component 200
is withdrawn from the housing 10, the first resilient member 30 is
compressed by the contact member 20, such that the sliding member 40
slides toward the link bar assembly 50. The sliding member 40 biases an
end of the long connecting bar 51 connecting to the short connecting bar
53, such that the long connecting bar 51 rotates toward the opening of
the second engaging groove 15. The latching portion 531 of the short
connecting bar 53 slides in the guiding portion 17 of the housing 10.
When the latching portion 531 of the short connecting bar 53 slides to
the cutout 206 of the second engaging portion 204, an end of the long
connecting bar 51 connecting to the short connecting bar 53 pushes out of
the second engaging groove 15 of the housing, and biases the peripheral
component 200 to push it out, such that the first engaging portion 201 is
separated from the positioning portion 19.

[0023] The latching portion 531 of the short connecting bar 53 of the
fixing mechanism 100 is latched with the second engaging portion 204 of
the peripheral component 200, to prevent detachment of the first engaging
portion 201 from the positioning portion 19, thereby firmly fixing the
peripheral component 200 in the holding portion 11 of the housing 10.
Furthermore, the sliding member 40 of the fixing mechanism 100 biases the
link bar assembly 50, such that the link bar assembly 50 biases the
peripheral component 200 out, thereby the peripheral component 200 is
conveniently detached from the holding portion 11 of the housing 100.

[0024] It is to be understood that the latching portion 531 of the short
connecting bar 53 can also be another structure, such as a hook fixed in
an end of the short connecting bar 53. The second engaging portion 204 of
the peripheral component 200 can also be another structure, such as a
hook or a protrusion defining a through hole. The positioning portion 19
of the housing 10 can also be a positioning protrusion arranged at a
sidewall of the holding portion 11, correspondingly, wherein the second
engaging portion 204 is a positioning groove defined on a sidewall of the
peripheral component 200. The guiding portion 17 can also be a
substantially L-shaped rib. The latching portion 531 of the short
connecting bar 53 is disposed in the gap between the L-shaped rib and the
through hole sidewall.

[0025] Finally, while the present disclosure has been described with
reference to particular embodiments, the description is illustrative of
the disclosure and is not to be construed as limiting the disclosure.
Therefore, various modifications can be made to the embodiments by those
of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the true spirit and
scope of the disclosure as defined by the appended claims.